Many power production plants, for example for the production of electricity for a national grid, rely on the continuous use of non-renewable resources such as coal, oil or natural gas, which have to be transported to the plant.
Other power production plants, for example hydroelectric power plants, can only be sited where there is a natural or artificial head of water, and this water head may not be available, or convenient to provide. There is no satisfactory means to check whether the plant will perform to, specification until after completion.
Power plants are costly to build. To recoup the investment, power needs to be produced and sold, but with the known construction methods a power plant will not produce power until completed, which for the larger plants of 200 MW or more may be three or more years after construction begins. Because of the long "pay back" period, those ordering a new power plant could be reluctant to finance new technology which offers savings but which is unproven, and which cannot be proven until final building is complete.